Ten Audience Analysis Exercises - EFL Classroom 2.0
Ten Audience Analysis Exercises - EFL Classroom 2.0
Ten Audience Analysis Exercises - EFL Classroom 2.0
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<strong>Ten</strong> Television <strong>Analysis</strong> Writing Projects<br />
1. Gender. Look at the characters in the shows that you've watched closely for this<br />
assignment, specifically focusing on the gender of the characters. How is their<br />
gender important to the roles that they play (or is it)? To what extent, are the<br />
characters in roles that could not have been played by an actor of the opposite<br />
gender? Are the shows playing with gender? Write a paper that explores the ways<br />
that gender enhances or detracts from the shows that you're examining--consider<br />
all the major characters of the program, looking particularly at any stereotypes<br />
and any roles that break with more traditional gender roles. Alternately, you might<br />
focus on a very specific character and write an analysis of how the program would<br />
be different if that character were the opposite gender. Here's an interesting<br />
example: originally, the creators of The Practice were looking for another male<br />
actor to add as a lawyer for the show. Instead, they found Camryn Manheim, who<br />
plays Ellenor Frutt. Once she was chosen, they wrote the script for her....but what<br />
if that character weren't in the program? How would it be different?<br />
2. Realism or Stereotype? Consider the characters in the programs that you've<br />
watched. In what ways are the characters real, and in what ways do they seem to<br />
be stereotypes or caricatures? Do the characters have real emotions--and a full<br />
range of emotions? Or do they just have the emotions that seem politically correct<br />
for the time and place that the programs consider? Are their emotions predictable?<br />
Do they look like real people, or like models and pin-ups? Is their hair every<br />
mussed? Do they get dirty? Does anyone ever go to the bathroom? Do they every<br />
get sick? Do they grow at a normal rate? Write a paper that explores the degree of<br />
realism that the programs that you're examining for your paper. Alternately, write<br />
a two-part paper. For part one, rewrite one of the episodes that you watched from<br />
a more realistic perspective--you can write a short story rather than a script. For<br />
part two, explain the decisions that you made to make the show more realistic,<br />
giving details both on the changes that you made and why you made them.<br />
3. Commercials. In addition to watching the television shows, pay careful attention<br />
to the commercials that come on. What products are advertised? What<br />
commercials are used? As you watch, make a complete list of the commercials<br />
and the order in which they appear--if there are repeats, be sure to note them.<br />
Once you have a list, look for connections. Just who is the audience for all those<br />
commercials--who would buy the products or services? Would the characters on<br />
the program be likely to buy the products or services? After you've gathered all<br />
the details on the audience for the commercials, apply that information to the<br />
television show. How does the audience for the commercials fit the programs?<br />
Based on the commercials that you see, who would you think that the television<br />
programs are aimed at? In your paper, explore the relationship between
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